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Who loves London?

173 replies

NorthernLiner · 31/08/2024 09:19

Personally I do.
Everything about it.
Studied, lived and worked there for a good 15+ years, only moved out to the home counties to buy bigger house when kids arrived.
Just spent 5 days at the in-laws in Zone 2.
Totally satisfied my London fix 😍

Anyone else ❤️ London?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 31/08/2024 15:52

@80smonster loads to do in the Midlands. I went on a heritage railway earlier in the summer. One of the best days out I've had in years.
Loads of museums. Small town ones. Bigger ones. There's art galleries everywhere.
A few random museums of the top of my head......Leicester has the Space Museum. Bletchley has a museum of computing plus the history of Bletchley Park. Black Country Museum. Stratford upon Avon has Shakespeare obviously. Warwick Castle.
I went to Northampton museum several years back to see an exhibition that had originally been in London but was on tour.
There's theatres all over.
There's stately homes galore. Country Parks.
Cathedrals/Churches - Peterborough one was interesting.
Worcester currently has a penguin art trail.
Smaller theme parks - one of my favourites is Wicksteed Park.
Loads to do .....

LaSourciereEfrontee · 31/08/2024 15:52

I absolutely love London. Was raised in the provinces, so every visit feels like a treat (even if it’s for work, or three times in a week.) I love to visit for eating, shopping, culture, study and work.

I loved living in London (Zone 1), until we had kids. Then I couldn’t get out soon enough! DH was also very happy to leave and is now a country mouse City commuter (despite having been raised in Marylebone.)

I wouldn’t want to live in London again. But now we are spending more time back there, working and socialising, and have just bought a flat in London Bridge. Can’t wait for more London adventures!

LondonLass61 · 31/08/2024 15:59

Garlicfest · 31/08/2024 14:16

Me too! It's been 15 very long, slow years since I moved - by force of circumstance, not choice - to a rural market town. I know the old place has changed, but it's still London and I miss it 😭

Word of warning to those who fancy moving to more pastoral surroundings: think very carefully! Unless you really are a dog-owning, jam-making garden potterer (in which case, why are you in London anyway?) you may feel you've fallen into a time vacuum and can't afford to get back to civilisation.

Very good advice.

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:01

HotCrossBunplease · 31/08/2024 14:50

I hear you. I’m not trying to convince you otherwise, just explaining my point of view because you didn’t seem to understand what I was saying. The excitement hasn’t worn off for me since I moved here in 1996, but I know that not everyone is the same.

Show quote history

I was born here in the 80s and haven’t been bored a day since 😀. I think those who can’t/don’t utilise the city may as well live somewhere else…

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:03

Garlicfest · 31/08/2024 14:16

Me too! It's been 15 very long, slow years since I moved - by force of circumstance, not choice - to a rural market town. I know the old place has changed, but it's still London and I miss it 😭

Word of warning to those who fancy moving to more pastoral surroundings: think very carefully! Unless you really are a dog-owning, jam-making garden potterer (in which case, why are you in London anyway?) you may feel you've fallen into a time vacuum and can't afford to get back to civilisation.

This is what has repeatedly held us back from selling, but our arm could probably be twisted (temporarily) for another capital city.

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:08

waltzingparrot · 31/08/2024 15:43

No, I don't love it. I can only cope with a one day visit. All the crowds and bustle and constant noise plus cleaning the black of your face when you get home.

Can't wait for the train to get me back to the seaside. I could never not live near the sea now. It's my perfect environment.

Honest questions - what on earth do you do when it rains? Which is 70% of the year. Also are your shops/bars/restaurants open Monday-Wednesday? I’ve found lots of seaside towns only seem to open part of the week. Such a bizarre concept to a city girl!

Antinori86 · 31/08/2024 16:09

Adore London. Moved here upon graduating and have been here nearly 20 years! Basically shuffled between different bits of SW / S London and now settled very near the river. I adore the vibrancy and the theatres and the restaurants and the markets and the public transport and the green spaces.

Most people I moved to London with 20 years ago have moved back out. I miss them, but feel very lucky to be able to still live, work and thrive here.

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:10

Needmorelego · 31/08/2024 15:52

@80smonster loads to do in the Midlands. I went on a heritage railway earlier in the summer. One of the best days out I've had in years.
Loads of museums. Small town ones. Bigger ones. There's art galleries everywhere.
A few random museums of the top of my head......Leicester has the Space Museum. Bletchley has a museum of computing plus the history of Bletchley Park. Black Country Museum. Stratford upon Avon has Shakespeare obviously. Warwick Castle.
I went to Northampton museum several years back to see an exhibition that had originally been in London but was on tour.
There's theatres all over.
There's stately homes galore. Country Parks.
Cathedrals/Churches - Peterborough one was interesting.
Worcester currently has a penguin art trail.
Smaller theme parks - one of my favourites is Wicksteed Park.
Loads to do .....

Thank you. Will check those out next time I’m up that way.

IDontHateRainbows · 31/08/2024 16:15

Love it. Live up north but family there so regularly visit. DH is from there and moved up north to settle down with me, kept his Z1 flat ad rented it out, of which the mortgage is paid off so I'm working on moving there in 8 years when the kids are grown, could probably squeeze them in if they wanted to come with us or they could do their own thing. But a free flat in Z1...why wouldn't I?

Nuggetnuggety · 31/08/2024 16:19

But a free flat in Z1...why wouldn't I?

Thats amazing

Meatwallet · 31/08/2024 16:20

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Needmorelego · 31/08/2024 16:23

@Meatwallet what on earth does that mean?

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:23

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What does that even mean?

LaSourciereEfrontee · 31/08/2024 16:24

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Nonsense. All cities change and evolve.
London is still a fantastic city.

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:25

LaSourciereEfrontee · 31/08/2024 16:24

Nonsense. All cities change and evolve.
London is still a fantastic city.

Show quote history

Assume what they mean is whenever they left London. Absolute nonsense. Most get pushed out of central London because of house prices, but that certainly doesn’t change the city’s material offering/value.

Meatwallet · 31/08/2024 16:27

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80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:27

IDontHateRainbows · 31/08/2024 16:15

Love it. Live up north but family there so regularly visit. DH is from there and moved up north to settle down with me, kept his Z1 flat ad rented it out, of which the mortgage is paid off so I'm working on moving there in 8 years when the kids are grown, could probably squeeze them in if they wanted to come with us or they could do their own thing. But a free flat in Z1...why wouldn't I?

So jealous, what an amazing future plan, zone 1 is always the place to be.

Nuggetnuggety · 31/08/2024 16:28

I think the fastest growing demographic in London is now older people and developers are specifically building age friendly luxury apartment blocks to target that market.

“The number of Londoners aged 65+ is forecast to rise by 30 per cent by 2030. This is compared to a rise of 23 per cent across England”

”There are also substantial variations in the rates of growth across inner and outer London, with inner London seeing more change”

I think a retirement in central London is a great idea.

80smonster · 31/08/2024 16:28

This reply has been deleted

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Well nowhere stands still does it? That’s the nature of time passing…

HotCrossBunplease · 31/08/2024 16:29

Nuggetnuggety · 31/08/2024 15:32

I’m talking about looking around you as you walk down Museum Row, or along the South Bank, or down Regent’s street, the ease of tube travel to diverse areas of London with interesting food, the streets full of red double deckers, the scale of things like Battersea Power station or the vast choice of musicals and theatre on at any one time. The huge parks. Westminster. The river. The Lloyd’s building and Leadenhall market.

For me it’s important to have all that there on my doorstep, even if most of my time is spent within a 500m radius of my home in N London.

I don’t have the South Bank, Westminster, etc on my doorstep. I have to travel there, I do have red buses, a park & good food on my doorstep but these things do exist in other places. Don’t you get red buses as far out as z6? And surely people who don’t live in London but travel there for work, recreation get the opportunity to do the above? Plus SE London doesn’t have the tube.

If that’s not important to you then there is no reason to incur the cost of living here.

Apart from the fact many of us are Londoners & feel comfortable in our hometown & want to be near family…

Sorry, I’m not getting why you are turning this into some sort of argument @Nuggetnuggety ? Surely we agree that London is where we want to live?

“on my doorstep” is a turn of phrase, it just means within a distance that makes it easy to get there and back for a day/afternoon.

The comment about “if that’s not important to you no reason to incur the cost” was to the poster who said she wanted to leave, no suggestion she had family here. Of course other people have other reasons to be here.

Squirrelsnut · 31/08/2024 16:31

I love London and go back as often as I can.

LindorDoubleChoc · 31/08/2024 16:31

weAllWanttheBest · 31/08/2024 15:21

These mansion blocks around Albert hall are so stunning ....who lives in them? Oh my

I've been in one of those flats, just the once! My friend was the boyfriend of the guy who owned it (much older man Hmm) - he owned a very fancy designer kitchen and homewares shop in Fulham. The flat was on the ground floor and stunning. It was exquisitely furnished. Me and my friend were only in our 20s and still living in shared flats in Hackney.

Nuggetnuggety · 31/08/2024 16:32

I don’t really understand some of your points hence why I asked? Wasn’t aware this was arguing 😆. Jjust ignore me, it’s fine.

PulpFaction · 31/08/2024 16:33

Used to work in Knightsbridge and used to drive in.

Love, love love the place. It has an indefinable quality.

Crushed23 · 31/08/2024 16:36

I love it with all my heart.

I moved here 12 years ago straight after university and it has honestly been 12 years of absolute MAGIC. 💖